How 'India's secrets' helped Shubhanshu Shukla in space: Astronaut shares experience with PM Modi

Time of India

2 days ago

PM Modi met Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla in New Delhi on Monday. (ANI)
NEW DELHI:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi
on Monday met Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, who returned to Earth in July after completing NASA's Axiom-4 mission, becoming the first Indian in four decades to travel to space.
During their interaction, Shukla shared that people around the world are following India's upcoming
Gaganyaan mission
with great enthusiasm. 'Wherever I went, whoever I met, everyone was very happy to meet me, very excited. The biggest thing was that everyone knew about what India is doing in the field of space. Everyone knew about this, and many people were more excited about Gaganyaan. They would come and ask me, 'When is your mission going?' And my crew members made me sign that whenever Gaganyaan is gone, you will invite us to the launch,' he said.
PM Modi asked him, 'As the first Indian to reach there, what are your thoughts? And what kind of questions do people ask?' Shukla replied that the interest was overwhelming and reflected India's growing stature in space exploration.
The prime minister also inquired about the physical changes after such a long journey in space. Shukla explained, 'The environment up there is very different. Once we reach space, we can remove our seat belts and move around inside the capsule.
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The heart rate slows down, but the body starts adjusting in 3-4 days. But when we return to Earth, the body takes time to readjust. Even though I was healthy, I couldn't walk properly.
People had to hold me for support.'
When asked about experiments with moong and methi (fenugreek), Shukla described the challenge of food in space. 'Food is a big challenge on a space station; there is less space, and cargo is expensive. You always try to pack as many calories and nutrients as possible in the least space, and experiments are going on in every way.
They are very easy to grow and need very few resources, just a little water, and they sprout in only 8 days.
These are some of the secrets of our country.'
PM Modi recalled that Shukla was once called a 'tag genius' and asked him the reason behind it. Shukla responded, '…When I joined the Air Force, I thought that I would not have to study, but I will have to study a lot after that. And after becoming a test pilot, it becomes a discipline of engineering.
So I think we were well prepared, when we reached for this mission...The mission has been successful, we have returned, but this mission is not the end, it is the beginning.
..'
The prime minister stressed the need for India to have a pool of 40-50 astronauts. Shukla, reflecting on his own journey, said children today are far more hopeful about becoming astronauts than his generation was. 'When I was young, Rakesh Sharma sir went for the first time in 1984, but the dream of becoming an astronaut never came to my mind because we did not have any program.
But when I went to the station this time, I spoke to the children three times.
In every program, the children asked how can I become an astronaut? So I think this in itself is a big success for our country. In today's India, they know that it is possible. We have the option and we can become. And like you said, it is my responsibility, I feel I got a lot of opportunities to represent my country and now it is my responsibility to take as many people as possible to this level.'
PM Modi added, 'Space station and Gaganyaan. These are our big missions. Your experience will be very useful in that.'
Shukla praised the government's commitment to space research, even in the face of setbacks. 'I think somewhere there is a very big opportunity for us, especially because the kind of commitment our government has made to sustain the space program, budget every year, inspite of failures like Chandrayaan 2.
Even after that, we said no, we will move ahead. Chandrayaan 3 was successful. Even after such failures, if we are getting so much support and the whole world is seeing this.
We have the capability, so we can acquire a leadership role here. You talked about Atmanirbharta in space manufacturing... So all these things are connected in the same way.'
To this, PM Modi said, 'If we do it self-reliantly, we will do well.'
Shukla returned to Earth on July 15 after a three-week stay aboard the International Space Station during NASA's Axiom-4 mission, which launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on June 25. He splashed down off the coast of California and arrived in New Delhi on Sunday. His mission made him the first Indian since Rakesh Sharma in 1984 to travel to space.
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